Mr Budgett, Observations on Polypterus and Protopterus. 237 



river from January to May, all the specimens being about 18 or 

 19 inches in length and all without ova. Most of these were 

 caught with the native cast-net, though a few were also caught 

 with the seine-net. 



In November and December when the swamps had nearly 

 dried up large numbers were to be obtained from the mouths of 

 the small creeks leading from the swamps to the river. This was 

 done by damming the creeks at intervals of about 30 yards but 

 leaving a passage for the fish to pass from pool to pool. Each 

 time the natives wished to collect the fish they stopped up these 

 passages and then baled out the water. In this way I was able 

 to obtain great numbers of young Polypteri on their way to the 

 river. These all measured from 4 to 8 inches, and were invariably 

 P. senegalus. 



At the same time I had a few Lapradii brought me from 8 

 to 10 inches in length, but am not certain where they came from ; 

 all these had external gills. When, however, these fish were kept 

 in aquaria they soon lost their external gills, a small trace re- 

 maining for some time after the gills had been almost absorbed. 



16 



27 



7 



30 



P. senegalus. 



J - 1 ----- 17 



% 2 1 ______ 30 



Young 15 50 



Undetermined — — — — 



18 

 33 



65 



7 



17 52 _ — — 3 — 47 



123 



Total 22 57 11 1 1 6 12 51 42 | 203 



From the table it will be seen that only 31 specimens of both 

 species were obtained in the months from January to May, while 

 during June and July 92 specimens were caught on their way to 

 the swamps, and during November and December 79 young 

 specimens were taken on their way to the rivers. 



It is also seen that large numbers of P. senegalus were taken 

 on their way from the river in June, while large numbers of 

 P. lapradii were not taken until July. All the females taken in 

 June and July were crowded with ripe ova, but P. senegalus was 

 not taken above 13 inches, and yet no female less than 12 inches 



VOL. X. PT. IV. 17 



